UN Secretary-General message for World Water Day
The theme of this year’s World Water Day reminds us of a cold, hard truth: glacier preservation is essential for security, prosperity, and justice.
Glaciers are nature’s vaults, holding a precious resource: nearly 70 per cent of all freshwater on Earth.
As glaciers melt, they quench the thirst of communities, sustain ecosystems, and support agriculture, industry, and clean energy. But scorching temperatures are draining these vaults at record speed - from the Himalayas to the Andes, from the Alps to the Arctic.
Deadly floods are being unleashed, impacting billions of people, in cities and rural areas alike. Low-lying communities and entire countries are facing existential threats, while competition for water and land is aggravating tensions.
Glaciers may be shrinking, but we cannot shrink from our responsibilities.
The Pact for the Future, agreed by countries last September, commits countries to ambitious action to protect, restore and sustain the world’s glaciers and strengthen community resilience. I have also appointed a Special Envoy on Water to strengthen international cooperation on the sustainable management of freshwater resources.
Action this year is critical. Every country must deliver strong national climate action plans – or NDCs - aligned with limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Funding for climate adaptation and resilience must increase, supported by reform of the international financial architecture to unlock sustained and massive climate finance.
Together, let’s act to preserve these frozen lifelines for humanity.
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